Too late
by MissKluck
Summary: Sasuke arrives back later than planned from a mission and goes to meet up with the pregnant Sakura at the hospital, however things happened while he was away. Warning: character death.


Post war. I actually made two versions of this prompt, one where the baby dies and one where it survived. It was always supposed to be tragic, though I have been getting some idea for a fluffy one for today too, sadly I just don't have the time to make it so I hope you enjoy this!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**Too late**

Sasuke hadn't really wanted to take this mission, Sakura was eight months pregnant and the baby could come at any time, at least according to himself. He was so nervous; he wanted to be there when it happened, to support his wife through it all, to finally do something right. Still, because of the mission's urgency and difficulty, Sasuke had had to take it along with his ANBU squad. Naruto, now hokage, had promised to take good care of Sakura along with Hinata. And so Sasuke had went, knowing it was for the best because even if he had done his punishment for betraying the village as well as messing up other villages, the people outside of Konoha was still skeptical to the last Uchiha.

Now, returning to the village a day later than planned, Sasuke couldn't help but think of how it had all changed so quickly. Not that he minded of course, but it was just so weird that just four years ago they had fought and won over a goddess. The war had been quickly won after that seeing as there was no more enemies or other people, or gods, manipulating Kaguya. It had of course taken time to rebuild their villages and try to mend the new wounds the war had created, but this time they had all been together, not only team 7, but the entire shinobi alliance.

Although much of his debt to Konoha had been paid during the war and rebuilding of Konoha, he still received probation as well as having to complete low ranked missions for quite a while. During these though, he had managed to mend some of his torn bonds, both to people around him and to the other villages. They knew how important and powerful his clan still was and it seemed like they also came to view him and his clan in a different light after the war. People were of course still skeptic as they always were, but they weren't so quick to hate anymore, rather they seemed akin to try and understand what had made him act the ways he did, even if not all the reasons were justified.

Then came Sakura. It had been really awkward at first; neither of them knowing what to do or how to break the ice because they simply didn't know what to say and just kept on blaming themselves. Naruto grew quite fed up by this and ordered them to talk together. He hadn't become hokage yet at that point, but he still managed to get them to talk together. Maybe it was because of the way he trapped them together in a trap during one of the training sessions with team 7. Regardless of the reason, they managed to make up between each other, even though it was just the largest parts, and they still had a long way to go, they started to hang out more after their talk.

They saw more of each other, trained more together, ate together even when Naruto was busy and just spent time together. During this they gradually warmed up to each other, managing to talk more and more about what had happened and also find out what the other really had meant by the different actions they both had done to each other. And somewhere along the lines of Naruto teasing them, Sai coming with his comments and them denying it, Sasuke found that Sakura was the only woman that he could ever see himself rebuilding his clan with. It had terrified him at first, made him uncomfortable and for a while he had started to pull away from Sakura again. But through a heated discussion and an impulsive kiss, Sasuke realized that maybe he could do it after all. That with Sakura by his side, he could once again get into the life his brother and family had wished for him.

Some time after that, after serious urging, and nagging, from Naruto and Ino, Sasuke had finally proposed to Sakura who accepted at one, tears streaming down a smiling face. They had gotten married half a year after that, and now, another one and a half years later, Sakura was waiting for their first child. They had planned on going on one of the last check-ups this day, him planning to return one day before to get some rest and be prepared, but now he found that he would just have to rush straight to the hospital. Sakura was probably there already and would greet him with tears and scolding, but a happy smile because he once again returned safely. Sasuke shook his head over these thoughts, an amused smile playing on his lips as the gates of Konoha finally came into view

He signaled for his teammates to go on ahead and report to Naruto while he would go straight to the hospital, something his teammates already knew about and fully understood. The weather was nice as he jumped from building to building, it was late in the summer, then sun was shining and happy families seemed to be all around the village, enjoying the beautiful day that it was. Soon, he too would have a family of his own, maybe he already next year would be a part of these many families out and enjoying the weather. Maybe his son or daughter would be almost a year already and Sakura would as always be smiling, both at him and their child.

Sasuke felt weird thinking such thoughts, but he couldn't help the small, bubbly feeling that rose within his chest. Especially now that Konoha hospital was only some blocks away. His smile widened when seeing this building that he had come to know so well these last few years. His mind filled with all the different memories of waiting for Sakura after a shift, going in and dragging Sakura out when she had forgotten the time, and carrying her home when she had passed out after a difficult surgery or just overworked herself. She had gotten better after she got pregnant, having to think about a child now beside herself, but still overworked herself some times. In the end Tsunade had forced her into an early maternity leave to protect both Sakura herself and the baby.

Sasuke arrived at the doors of the hospital, suddenly feeling a little nervous at the possibility of the baby already being born. It was half a month left to the approximated date, but after questions Sakura had admitted that it wasn't uncommon for babies to be born before their date. Entering the hospital Sasuke was startled for a moment as the hospital seemed more in a frenzy than usual. Comments like "has he been caught yet?" and "poor Sakura-sama" floated to his ears and made him anxious. Had something happened? As he strode up to the information desk the room went quiet, everyone following him with their eyes and it seemed they all had this same, sad gaze, as if they pitied him. Recognizing where he had seen such gazes before, the feeling in his stomach worsened. It was just like the time after his clan had been killed.

"Excuse me," he said, trying to keep his voice even and without the worry he felt inside.

A young nurse looked up from her work, her eyes red and sore as if she had just been crying. "Y-yes Uchiha-sama?" She, along with her co-workers behind her all had the same sad gaze.

"Do you know where my wife is?" Sasuke proceeded to ask, trying to ignore the stares and annoying feeling he got from them. Couldn't people mind their own business? And if not, couldn't someone tell him what was supposed to be so sad? It was like his parents death all over again. No one saying anything, but they all looked at him with those eyes. The eyes that were supposed to speak to him, to give them their condolences, but just ended up making him feel worse.

"A-ah, o-of course, Uchiha-san!" The nurse spluttered, fresh tears suddenly welling up in her eyes as she rushed from behind her desk. "Right this way," she started down a hallway, the Uchiha following after her, feeling more worried than ever. Something had to have happened. Their behaviour said it all, speaking of a truth he didn't know of yet. They kept on casting glances at him as he walked after the nurse, making Sasuke feel more and more angry. He wasn't a child, dang it! He sped up through the hallways, making the nurse do the same, as his sharingan subconsciously activated.

"Do not act around me as if I am a child to be pitied," Sasuke ground out through gritted teeth, using as much strength as he could on trying not to slam the nurse against the wall and demand some answers from her. "Tell me, what has happened with my wife?"

"I-I'm so-sorry Uchiha-san!" The nurse replied, fresh tears running down her cheeks as she ran alongside him. "O-of course we do not view you as a child, we just weren't sure how much to tell you. Earlier, just half an hour ago, someone who was not supposed to be here broke into the hospital. It was in the middle of Sakura-sama's examination, everything was going as normal, but then it happened. The shinobi of unknown origin came into the room and killed Sakura-sama. We did everything we could to save her, but we didn't get there in time, we were too late as Sakura-sama had been killed instantly. Immediately we started the operation of saving your child, Tsunade being the head doctor took on this mission, but I do not know if the succeeded. Here it is, 215," the nurse stopped, making Sasuke almost rush past her. "I'm so so sorry for this Uchiha-san, if-"

Sasuke had already come back and jerked the door open; refusing to believe the words the nurse had been feeding him. It couldn't be true; he wouldn't allow it to be true. It wasn't possible, it wasn't supposed to happen, it wasn't! Had life not already stolen enough from him?! Immediately greeting him was Naruto's surprised, yet tear-streaked face. "Sasuke," he uttered, almost as if he couldn't believe his best friend was there.

"Where is she?!"

"Sasuke, I-"

"I said, where is she, Naruto?!" Sasuke took Naruto by the collar, sharingan spinning wildly.

"Sasuke, release Naruto or else you will not be allowed in here," a stern voice said, although this known voice was also filled with sadness. Tsunade came over to them, blood on her fingers and holding a small bundle of cloth in her arms. At the sight of the blood Sasuke's eyes widened as he now stared madly at Tsunade. She just shook her face, regret shining through her usually so feisty eyes. "She's over there," Tsunade nudged her head further into the room. "But there's something you need to know-"

Sasuke rushed passed the two, ignoring the words of the former and present hokage. They had to be lying; they all HAD to be lying! It couldn't be true! It had to be some cruel trick or prank from Naruto to get him to return on time the next time, right?! Sasuke's mind worked itself more and more to frenzy as he refused to believe what he had heard and now also what he was seeing. There, bathed in a bed of white sheets lay his love, his strength, his flower; Sakura Uchiha. Her hair, which it seemed someone had tried to tidy up, was still messy, already seeming like a paler version of the usually so vibrant, cotton candy coloured hair. Her clothes were ruffled and torn, hidden by a white bed sheet smeared with blood.

Sasuke ended up just standing there at the end of the bed, staring at his awfully pale wife. The slight roses in her cheeks that had been there through the pregnancy had completely disappeared, her lips were growing darker and overall it just seemed like a sick copy of the woman he loved. As if it finally clicked in, Sasuke rushed over to Sakura, pushing away the medical personnel that was still standing there. Carefully, as to not hurt her, he took Sakura in his arms, inspecting every inch of her after sign of life. It just couldn't be true! She couldn't be dead, he wouldn't allow it!

"Sakura!" He called out, voice disbelieving, distant of the situation around him. "Sakura! Dang it, Sakura, wake up! Don't do this to me! Not now! You're sleeping, I know it! Just wake up, please! Please wake up! Tell me how this is all a trick, a genjutsu, to scare me into being on time the next time! Scold me for being late! Yell at me! Smile at me! Anything! Sakura!"

Tsunade, a little shocked by his outburst, quietly ushered all the other medical personnel out of the room. The bundle she kept close to her bosom as she closed the door behind them. Naruto quietly watched with tears streaming down as his best friend cried over his beloved wife.

"Sakura, dang it!" Sasuke yelled, clutching her to his chest. "Sakura! This isn't fair! This isn't freaking fair! You can't leave now! I won't freaking allow it! You annoying girl! What the heck do you think you're doing leaving so abruptly as that, huh?! You can't leave now! We were going to create a family together; we were going to revive my clan, _our_ clan, together! You can't freaking leave now! Not now and not with our baby! You can't freaking leave!" Then he straightened as if he suddenly remembered something. He carefully placed her body back into the bed again before asking with a shaking voice: "The baby… What happened with the baby?" He looked like a lost child where he stood, hands trembling, eyes empty.

Tsunade smiled sadly at him and came over, holding forth the small bundle for him to see. "He survived," she whispered gently, giving him a sweet, yet bitter smile.

Sasuke's eyes widened, his sharingan residing as he carefully, almost as if he was afraid, came over to Tsunade. He had at first thought that the baby was dead along with its mother, but now Sasuke felt as if a small light was being lighted in all his misery. "It's a healthy baby boy, Sasuke, just like his mother," Tsunade said, lifting carefully on some of the cloth to reveal a small face. Pink hair was at once visible, making Sasuke halt a little in his step as his eyes continued to widen. Tsunade seemed a bit unsure, but Naruto nodded, and so she placed the small baby in Sasuke's arms.

Sasuke couldn't help but stare at the small, human being now resting in his arms. He felt mesmerized by him, protective of him already. It made him momentarily forget the painful situation, but it soon came back. "No," he said, giving it back to Tsunade. "No, I-I can't. Not without her, not without Sakura."

"Sasuke, what are you talking about?" Naruto asked, sniffing a bit.

"What if I hurt it, Naruto? What if I can't be a good enough father? What if I fail him like I did his mother?!" The desperate look was back in his eyes again as a small tear slid down his cheek. "I don't want to do him wrong too." A warm hand was placed upon his shoulder, shaking him a little.

"Foolish Uchiha," Tsunade said. "Of course you'll hurt it, but that is life. Were you never hurt by your father? If you leave him now you'll hurt him much more than if you take him to you, raise him as your son, take care of him as Sakura would have done, as she would have wanted. If you leave him now you will not only do him great wrong, but yourself and Sakura as well. She believed in you, trusted you to be here even when she can't. She loves you just as this boy here will love you, but as her you've got to give your son a chance. I will take him to the nursery and take care of him for tonight, but you've got to make up your mind now, Uchiha. Do you really want to let her down?"

"Of course I wouldn't!" Sasuke replied angrily, life somewhat returning to his eyes.

"That's what I knew," Tsunade nodded. "Don't lose your head, Sasuke, she wouldn't have wanted that." Tsunade shook his shoulder once more and left, leaving a deafening silence behind her.

Sasuke returned to Sakura's side again, dragging a chair with him. He put his head in his hands and just sat there, shoulders starting to shake after a while. Naruto came over after some minutes and placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Who did it?" Sasuke muffled out.

"What?"

"I said, who did it?!" Sasuke yelled heatedly, suddenly getting to his feet again. "Who the heck was it that killed my Sakura?!"

"There was this shinobi, from Kumogakure I think, who got into the hospital and attacked Sakura-chan while the doctor was out. We've managed to capture the bastard and as we did he talked about something like revenge against the man trying to kill his master or some other crap. And also ruining his country I think? I'm not quite sure," Naruto replied, eyeing Sasuke to see if he would have to step in and do something. At the same time Sasuke needed time, and he himself needed time. It was just so unbelievable, and now Sasuke had lost one of his loved ones yet again.

Sasuke started cursing under his breath. His voice grew louder and louder until he ended up yelling again, cursing at himself and the nameless assassin. He punched the nearby wall over and over again, creating a deep crater from his punches. "Why couldn't the bastard have just killed me instead?!" He yelled to no one in particular. "It was me he wanted, not you, not you! You are dead, you, the mother, are dead, and it's all my fault! It's all my fault! If only I had not done what I did! If only I had been back sooner! If only I had been stronger, faster, better! If only you hadn't loved me you stupidly, annoying, beautiful girl!"

He buried his face in her hair, trying to forget it all by smelling the sweet sent of his beloved's shampoo. But even this didn't help, and he desperately lifted her out of the bed, being extremely careful with her body as if it would break by the smallest mistake. He sank to the floor, tears pooling in his eyes, making his vision go blurry. "Why did you have to love me?! A stupid, pathetic failure like me?! I couldn't even save myself! And not my clan, my brother or you! Why did you have to fall in love with me you annoying girl?! Why couldn't you hate me like everybody else did?! Can't you see that I just end up destroying everything I touch?! Can't you see how much of a failure I am both to you and the village?! Can't you let me take your place?! You weren't supposed to die! You weren't! You were going to be by my side! To support me and guide me when I did wrong again, when I failed again! You were going to be the mother of my children, not the bearer of my justly punishment! How am I supposed to be a father now without you?! Dang it Sakura, you weren't supposed to die!"

He screamed, or yelled, Naruto wasn't sure. Maybe it was both, but one thing he knew was that it was the sound of utter despair, a sound he had hoped to never hear. It couldn't be right to take everything away from a person when that person had already lost it once before, right? It wasn't fair, it couldn't be fair. Didn't Sasuke deserve happiness after all that he had been through? But it seemed that God did not believe that and so Naruto could do nothing but watch as his best friend broke more and more down in front of him over the loss of his dearly beloved wife. At one point Sasuke had started begging for forgiveness, pleading Sakura and their child to forgive him for his many sins and wrongdoings towards them. And Naruto found that if he was to remain a sane support for Sasuke and his son, he couldn't watch because if he did he would only fall into darkness too. And so the hokage left to gather up some support and help, to this time be there all the time to help his friend away from the darkness and help raise his child. As he closed the door he couldn't help but witness the distraught Uchiha desperately kissing his wife as he still pleaded for her to come back and as his own heart twisted in pain Naruto knew that they would never be the same again without their pink haired blossom.


End file.
